NHS staff invited to 70th anniversary celebrations in London

Three members of staff at Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) will be attending the prestigious national celebration at Westminster Abbey on Thursday.

Chief Nurse Mary Moore, Continuing Health Care Clinical Lead Sally Kass and Home Oxygen Lead Viv Smith were chosen to attend the celebration. The event is to give thanks to NHS staff, patient groups and volunteers who have contributed to the NHS over the last 70 years.

Mrs Moore said: “I am honoured to be attending the 70 year NHS celebration and proud that I am representing Trafford, the birthplace of the NHS.

"As a nurse of 39 years, the NHS has seen many changes during my career and is a different world to the one I started training in all those years ago.

"Patients’ needs, technology, training and practice have all come a long way. It has been my privilege to put patients at the heart of all I do.”

Around 3,000 NHS staff from across the country are expected to attend the national ceremonies, with another taking place at York Cathedral, alongside representatives of charities, councils, and other key partners who work with the NHS.

Mrs Smith said: “I feel extremely privileged to have been selected to attend this event and, having been employed by the NHS for more than 40 years, working with colleagues who are dedicated and committed to putting the patient at the heart of everything they do, I feel quite honoured to celebrate this special NHS anniversary at Westminster Abbey.”

Pride at representing Trafford, where the first NHS hospital opened in 1948, was shared by Continuing Health Care Clinical Lead Sally Kass.

Mrs Kass said: “I am so excited to be attending this very special event, representing Trafford. I qualified as an Occupational Therapist some 33 years ago and it has been privilege to work in the NHS with the most extraordinary people.

"As with all NHS staff, I hope I have made a difference, helping those in their time of need. In the Abbey I will no doubt think of all those, both staff and patients who have made the NHS what it is today and for those who will carry on the NHS, the jewel in our nations crown, for the generations to come.”

Celebrations for the NHS milestone birthday are taking place up and down the country over the next week, recognising the achievements of the NHS over the last seven decades.

Staff celebrations will be shining a light on the staff who are there to support and care for patients every day.

Staff at Trafford CCG will also be celebrating on the July 5 anniversary by raising a cuppa during an NHS Big7Tea party. They will bake or buy some tasty cake creations, which will then be sold to colleagues to raise money for charitable funds at Trafford General Hospital, the birthplace of the NHS.

Medical Director Dr Mark Jarvis is proud to be attending the unveiling by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham of a blue plaque to commemorate the first National Health Service hospital at Trafford General.

Dr Jarvis said: “I will be representing the current dedicated team working to deliver the best healthcare service to Trafford residents where I have already worked for more than 25 years.”

Corporate Director of Commissioning Sara Radacliffe will also be attending the unveiling of the Urmston mural to celebrate 70 years since Aneurin Bevan first launched the NHS at Park Hospital Davyhulme, today known as Trafford General Hospital.

The Urmston mural will be unveiled by Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, at 11am in Higher Road Urmston, facing the Old Post Office, now the Barking Dog Pub in Urmston.

Sir Malcolm Grant, NHS England chairman, said: “The NHS’s 1.5m staff work hard every day to keep the people of this country well and they deserve to be celebrated.

"We want to say a huge thank you for all the hard work and extra effort our staff have contributed over the last 70 years – without you we wouldn’t be the world class service we are today.”

For more information about the birthday celebrations, including local events, visit www.nhs70.nhs.uk